William Esper once said that, “Actors think more with their hearts than with their heads.” Such is the case with professional actor Kate Levering. She puts her whole heart into all that she does, particularly when it comes to her career. Having conquered both the big and small screen in addition to Broadway, Levering is currently seen every Sunday on the hit series Drop Dead Diva. Don’t worry… she’s not the hardcore bitch that she plays on the show. She’s actually a friendly, family-oriented, down-to-earth chick who’s not all wrapped up into the Hollywood scene. If you don’t believe me, read here for yourself.

 

Let’s dive right in… You’ve had guest spots on so many prominent TV series’ including Las Vegas, Ghost Whisperer, CSI: Miami, and countless others. What other hit shows from your resume can you tell me about?

Let's see...Cashmere Mafia was a super fun, but short-lived television show that unfortunately died because of the writers’ strike. A series called Kevin Hill. LOTS of guest star roles, and obviously Drop Dead Diva for the last 3 years.

 

 

I understand you originally got your start in theatre and Broadway. Tell me about it.

I started dancing professionally when I was 13 years old. By the time I was fifteen, I was doing a production of West Side Story in Europe and starting to leave school a lot to perform. I actually missed my high school graduation because I was performing in Boston, which kinda makes me sad when I think about it now. Musical theater was my first love and so moving to New York to pursue Broadway after I graduated high school was a no brainer...it was the natural next step for me.

 

 

Is Broadway still on your mind or are you more focused on TV and film?

I've taken a very long break from performing on stage. I did six Broadway shows in the eight years I lived in New York...my body needed a break! Now that I've been away for so long I definitely have an itch to come back. The high of performing live is a craving that never goes away for me.

 

 

Are there any Broadway roles out there right now that you would love to take on?

Roxie Hart (in Chicago) is a dream role for me. I gotta get my agents on that! Also, they are about to revive Annie. I think I could play Grace Farrel.

 

 

I bet! So, let’s talk about movies. What was your experience on Like Dandelion Dust? I see it won some cool awards.

Like Dandelion Dust was a labor of love, no question. A lot of people poured their hearts and souls into making that movie, including all the actors. The acting was highly emotional all the time, so for me, I lived in a pretty dark space for the month that I shot...after the movie wrapped it took me a bit of time to emerge from that place. I'm really proud of that film. Everyone's love of the project shows on the screen.

 

 

Let’s talk about your role on the TV show Drop Dead Diva as Kim Kaswell. I hear Kim is quite the tough cookie.

Ha! Yes, Kim can definitely be a bitch.

 

 

Well, other than her pure bitchiness, what do you feel your character brings to the show?

Kim plays many roles. She can show up as the antagonist, the sassy, sexy opportunist/manipulator, a shark in the courtroom, and, as of recently, we've been seeing a much softer side to her. She had her heart broken at the end of last season, so that kind of cracked her wide open.

 

 

So, other than reading a “How To” book on being a bitch, what went into creating the character of Kim for you personally?

I was on another law show for a season, so I was familiar with the procedural feel of spending days at a time shooting in a courtroom...those are loooong days! Personally, I actually sat in a courtroom for a month with a family member and was intimately involved in a trial. I can say this: TV cases are much more exciting than real life.

 

 

I guess I’ll just stick to Judge Judy for my next court visit then, huh? So what’s life like on the set of the show?

I love going to work every day. Soup to nuts, I love everyone who works on our show...our crew is amazing, our cast gets along incredibly well. Overall, I'd say there is a lot of laughter. It's just a fun and safe environment to be creative in.

 

 

How about the behind-the-scenes? What’s life like with the cast off-set?

We are all great friends. We shoot on location in Georgia, and it's kind of like being at summer camp for five months. We're all away from our homes and significant others. The result is that we end up spending 24/7 with each other. We work all day together, go eat dinner, study our scripts, and hang out on the weekends. I think the chemistry of our relationships off-screen translates to the work. It's kind of genius really...throw a bunch of insecure actors into an environment where they're isolated and don't really know anyone and watch them grasp onto each other, and only focus on work.

 

 

Well, tell me about when you’re away from the cast. What’s daily life like for you outside work?

I spend a lot of time with my dog, my family, and my friends. I live between Newport Beach and LA, so you'll rarely catch me in LA as a part of "the scene". The game of Hollywood has never appealed to me, so I tend to stay as far away as I can. When I'm not working I have a totally different life and am constantly traveling. I actually leave for Africa on Friday!

 

 

Africa?! Wow! You’ll have to tell me all about that trip! So, with all your traveling, work, etc., do you have much time to actually watch any of the shows you’ve been on?

I always try to watch Drop Dead Diva every Sunday. When we're in Atlanta the cast will try to watch it together. For me, it's nice to see the result of those thirteen-hour shooting days. People might be amazed to know that it takes eight, approximately thirteen-hour days to make 45 minutes of television! Plus, it's nice to celebrate everyone's work.

 

 

 

Are you one of those people who cringe watching themselves onscreen or do you love every moment?

I have been known to get up and walk out of a room, yes. There are times when I'm proud of my choices and times when I cringe, moan, and groan. It's part of being an actor...the performance is rarely just what you want it to be.